


your hands and your name

by meggiewrites



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: 5 + 1 except it's 4 and nothing, Boys In Love, Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Pet Names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:33:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25715866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meggiewrites/pseuds/meggiewrites
Summary: It all starts so simple. “Hello, I’m Alex.”Or, the progression of a relationship told through what they call each other.
Relationships: Alexander Nübel/Niklas Süle, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	your hands and your name

**Author's Note:**

> BEAN!!!
> 
> – yes I'm okay. I promise. No, you're not hallucinating, I'm posting two days in a row. Actually, this is an old one … probably the first thing I ever wrote for Nüle that I just got around to editing to a degree I'm satisfied with it.
> 
> Special thanks to E, without whom both this ship and this nickname probably wouldn't exist!! <3
> 
> (I still can't write summaries to save my life please help)

It all starts so simple.

“Hello, I’m Alex.”

Of course, that’s not really how it started. 

In all honesty, Niklas has been slightly fixated over the young goalkeeper ever since the first game they’d played against each other and the then Schalke captain had shaken hands with Manuel. Even from afar, Niki had spotted the tentative but yet almost innocent, giddy smile, pride shining in Alexander Nübel’s eyes.

Then, later, his eyes had been drawn to the soft, black fabric in Manu’s hands after the two keepers had exchanged jerseys away from the cameras and the public’s prying eyes, exchanging a few joking lines, and he’d barely able to resist from reaching over and tracing the letters.

Safe to say the innocent crush that he’s been nursing ever since was not only growing now that he was finally – after half a year unlike any other, after a lengthy recovery process of his own, after a tense transfer story on Alex’ part – faced with a firm handshake, a wide smile, freckled cheeks and chocolate brown eyes – but that it virtually clogged up all of Niki’s senses to the point where it got difficult to focus, which–

Alex is a Bayern player now.

And no matter how wonderful his silly heart thought that might be, he needed to compose himself right about yesterday.

Right. “Um, yeah. I’m Niklas. Niki.”

“Niki.” Alex’ voice is deep as he sounds out the syllables, with a low, smooth timber that caresses all of Niki's sense. His name sounds perfect when formed with Alex’ lips, and Niki can’t help but shoot him a smile that Thomas would later describe as ‘dumbishly distracted yet so obviously smitten’.

He gulps. “Welcome to Munich.” 

And as Thomas lets out an indignant “That's my line!”, Alex’ hand is warm around his.

  
  


Alex can hear Niklas’ steps approaching before he even turns around. 

He has a surprisingly light step for someone of his size, and Alex can feel a smile tugging at his lips as he turns back to look at his favourite centre-back. (And yes, favourite – you’re not supposed to pick favourites, especially not this early, but there’s something about Niki’s style of play that really makes them harmonize well on the pitch. And something to his smile that makes his stomach flip.)

“Hey Niki, what’s up?” he asks as he’s packing up his water bottle. Manu, on his left, just snorts before closing his bag, walking back to the main building with a fond shake of his head, falling into a jog so he can catch up with Thomas, throwing his arm over his shoulders.

“Bro,” Niki says, grinning widely, almost a little bit out of breath, “you gotta come take a look at this! Leon really knocked it out of the park with this one.”

Alex grins.

In all fairness, Leon has been talking about getting a new Vespa for weeks, but it’s only when Niki takes his hand, tugging him along to where everyone’s favourite dorito-shaped, curly-haired midfield genius is crowded by most of the younger players that he understands the ruckus.

The vespa is a glittery silver. Alex barely suppresses a chortle. Instead, he whistles through his teeth.

“I mean … that's quite something, isn’t it.” The sarcasm in his tone is so clearly obvious that Leon sends him a dark glare that makes Alex take a step back – Leon might be shorter than him, but Alex isn’t sure he could hold up against him in a fight. 

Niki shakes his head. He still hasn’t let go of Alex’ hand. Has palm is warm and soft, and it feels a little bit odd, holding a hand that is as big as his own, but Alex doesn’t find it uncomfortable. In fact, he finds he’d like to hold on. 

“Goretzka, you absolute madman!”

Leon’s glare intensifies, and then, after enduring Jo’s arguing about why this is a terrible choice for maybe another twenty seconds, he starts the motor and takes off in a little cloud of dust. 

Their little group disbands quickly, and soon, it’s only Alex and Niki left.

Niki blushes when he realizes he’s still holding Alex’ hand, ducking his head which of course doesn’t help much at his size, and Alex really would like to lean over, put a hand on his shoulder and press a kiss against his neck.

Truly, crushes are the worst. 

Well, nothing to be done about it. So he offers Niki a smile that morphs into a grin when it makes the defender’s cheeks grow even pinker.

Alex squeezes his hand. 

“It’s all good, bro.”

And when he turns around to walk to his car, but not before giving Niki a last wave, he realizes he didn’t mean to say it as softly as he did.

  
  


The first time, it slips out without intent. 

They’re sitting on the bus, side by side, as always recently, with Manuel and Thomas on the other side of the table. 

The captains are sleeping, and regarding them – the way Manu has his head on Thomas’ shoulder and they’re clearly holding hands under the table, Niki wonders how they could ever pass as just friends.

Turning his head ever so slightly, he looks at Alex on his right, who is drumming his fingertips against the table, looking clearly tense. 

He’s got his first starting game for Bayern tomorrow, and Niki knows how both excited and a little bit apprehensive too he feels about it, remembers how Alex confessed it as they laid side by side the night before, their arms touching, their hands linked between their bodies.

(It still feels miraculous, that they get to have this.)

“Babe?”

Alex’ head snaps up, his eyes wide.

Niki coughs awkwardly. They haven’t been to the pet name stage yet, and at first he fears that he’s stepped over the line – but then Alex’ lips twitch, he grins and fumbles for Niki’s hand, locking their fingers together, lifting an eyebrow.

“Yeah, babe?”

– it is enough for Niki to feel his entire face heat up. But he knows he doesn’t need to be embarrassed. Not in front of Alex. (But he’s glad Thomas is still asleep, knowing he’d tease him mercilessly.) So, he holds up one of his earphones. 

“Wanna share?”

And it’s the way Alex nods, softly and earnestly, and the way their fingertips brush together as Niki passes him the earbud that makes his heart hitch.

It’s all still so new and sometimes, when everything is quiet around them like this, the entire team either sleeping or just staring out of the window, it barely feels real. That after all of this time of being alone while everyone around him was falling in love, Niki has found Alex – and Alex has found him.

He glances up, smiling when his eyes meet his boyfriend’s, their locked hands placed on Niki’s thigh, as the bass thrums through their ears.

And suddenly, he can feel a deep tiredness creeping up to him. When he finally falls asleep, it comes so fast that he just barely notices the way his head drops down on Alex’ shoulder. 

But he can perfectly imagine the goalie’s smile.

  
  


They’re training. 

Or well, some of them are, Alex adds mentally as his gaze flicks over to where Thomas is standing by the side of the goal, talking their captain’s ear off. That’s not exactly a rare occurrence, and over the years, people have apparently stopped giving their vice-captain more than an exaggerated roll of their eyes – but Alex can only imagine their coach’s glare if Niki tried to do the same.

Niki ... fondly, Alex lets his eyes trail over the gaggle of field players hobbling about, and once again counts himself lucky that he doesn’t have to do that anymore – they look downright silly. Yet, he feels his smile soften when he stops at his boyfriend’s broad back, his spiky short hair sitting quite a bit higher than everyone else's.

He doesn’t mind staring – Manu, Sven and Toni all know, after all, and Niki himself, whenever he catches Alex staring and Alex winks at him in response, only ducks his head while his cheeks get tinted with a delicate blush.

It happens this time, too, but instead of turning his head away as usual, before anyone can catch them exchanging a clearly non-platonic look, Niki gifts Alex a crooked, shy grin as he slowly jogs up to him. 

(Alex is pretty sure he sees the coach rolling his eyes; but he lets it happen either way, not interrupting the exercise.)

Niki comes to a halt in front of him, and Alex loves the way his eyes can meet Niki’s on eye level. There is a strange thrill to it, to being with someone his own height; or even just that tiny bit taller, as Niki reminds him once again with his next words.

His smile is a sunshine, and Alex wants to kiss him, even if his tone is cheeky, teasing – or maybe even because of it. 

“Hey shortie! Are you bored, or why are you letting Manu and Sven do all the work?”

Considering that Manu now has an arm wrapped around Thomas’ shoulder as the forward has his own slung around Manu's waist and they're whispering quietly to each other while Sven is talking to Toni, Alex really doubts that they are doing any work at all.

Then, he remembers the way Niki was curled up in his arms the night before, clearly so content snuggling up to Alex’ chest, making himself smaller so he can fit, happy, looking so damn adorable.

– a grin sneaks in itself on Alex’ lips. He takes a step forward, yanking of his left glove, reaching for Niki’s hand, carefully lacing their fingers together. His own are still a little bit stiff, sore from cushioning the balls he stopped.

“Actually,  _ you’re  _ the tiny bean in this relationship. And you love it.” 

He lets his voice drop deliberately, just a little bit, and he can almost see the way it sends a shiver down his boyfriend’s spine, Niki’s cheeks getting tinted darker with the second. After checking quickly that no one is looking, Alex leaves a quick kiss there, softly, enjoying the contrast of smooth skin and rough stubble against his lips.

That night, as they’re bowed over the kitchen, trying and failing to make a proper pot of chili, giggling at their own clumsiness, Alex nudges Niki’s waist, gently pushing him to the side.

“Lemme try, bean.”

Niki’s eyes are wide, but not comically so, instead his look is almost a bit disbelieving, but in that gentle, tender way. He shuffles away, and Alex grins softly and takes a mental note.

Somehow, the name sticks.

And while Niki usually sticks with ‘babe’ or simply ‘Alex’, Niki becomes ‘bean’ more often than not – and Alex was right:

They both love it.

**Author's Note:**

> I write FICTION about real people. None of this is intended to harm them or their reputation in any way. Please leave kudos and maybe a comment if you liked it! | [tumblr](http://manuelmueller.tumblr.com/)


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